THE
SLEEPING
BEAUTY

walls; the cook held her hand as if she would
seize the kitchen-girl by the hair, and the maid
sat with the black fowl before her which she was
going to pluck. He went on farther, and as he
went, he saw the guards all asleep at their posts.
Then he came into the great hall, and he saw all
the courtiers sleeping there. He walked on again
and all was so still that he could hear his own
breath; and at last he went up a winding stair,
and opened the door of the chamber in which
Thorn-rose slept, and not far from where she lay
were the king and queen themselves. He went
near to the princess, and as she lay there, all still
and motionless, she looked so beautiful that he
could not take his eyes off her; at last he stooped
down and gave her a kiss. As soon as he had
touched her cheek, Thorn-rose opened her eyes,
woke up, and looked round her with a friendly
smile. Then she arose, and the prince and she
went down the stair together. And now the king
and queen, and the whole court, awoke, and rubbed
their eyes and looked with-wonder at each other.
The horses also awoke, and neighed and shook
themselves; the greyhounds sprang to their feet
and wagged their tails; the doves, on the house-
top, drew their heads from under their wings,
looked round, and flew away into the meadow;
the flies on the wall began to creep along; the fire
in the kitchen flickered and flamed up; the roast
began to hiss; the old cook gave the kitchen-girl
a box on the ear, that made her scream; the maid,
too, was seen busily plucking away at the fowl.
To crown the whole, the wedding of Thorn-rose
and the king’s son was celebrated with great
feasting and rejoicings; and they lived in peace
and happiness all their days.

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